Asked by: Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the approval process for proposals for a grant for 2017–18 to support implementation of the Tobacco Control Plan under section 64 of the of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 will be completed.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The Department is still considering the scope and procurement process for grants to support the implementation of the Tobacco Control Plan. Cabinet Office standards require all new grants to be subject to competition. Our intention is to make any future grant available on a multi-year basis, subject to an appropriate business case and satisfactory performance on the part of the funded bodies.
Asked by: Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether public grants to heritage railways and tramways are permitted under state aid rules where they fall within the English Aid for Cultural and Heritage Conservation State Aid Scheme.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
Public grants to heritage railways may be permitted under state aid rules provided they meet the eligibility and other criteria set out in Chapter 1 and Articles 53 and 54 of the General Block Exemption Regulation 651/2014. It was under this legislation that the English Aid for Cultural and Heritage Conservation State Aid scheme was notified to the European Commission.
Asked by: Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Labour - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether he will ensure that an open competition will be held for the contract to administer future hereditary peers’ by-elections.
Answered by Lord McFall of Alcluith
The House has engaged Electoral Reform Services (ERS) to assist with each hereditary peers’ by-election since they were first held in 2003. When the need for a by-election arises ERS are engaged to administer and supervise the by-election and to provide assurance that it conforms to good electoral practice. This arrangement has applied each time a by-election is held. A fee is paid for ERS’ services for each by-election; there is no standing contract under which fees are paid to ERS.
The table below shows the amounts paid to Electoral Reform Services in respect of hereditary peers’ by-elections in each calendar year since 2012.
Year | Amount paid to Electoral Reform Services |
2012 | Nil |
2013 | £3,550 |
2014 | £3,245 |
2015 | £5,700 |
2016 | £1,200 |
2017 (to date) | Nil |
Amounts are exclusive of VAT.
The House authorities are currently reviewing the procurement arrangements under which services for hereditary peers’ by-elections are provided.
Asked by: Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Labour - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what organisations other than Electoral Reform Services were considered when the contract to administer the hereditary peers’ by-elections was awarded.
Answered by Lord McFall of Alcluith
The House has engaged Electoral Reform Services (ERS) to assist with each hereditary peers’ by-election since they were first held in 2003. When the need for a by-election arises ERS are engaged to administer and supervise the by-election and to provide assurance that it conforms to good electoral practice. This arrangement has applied each time a by-election is held. A fee is paid for ERS’ services for each by-election; there is no standing contract under which fees are paid to ERS.
The table below shows the amounts paid to Electoral Reform Services in respect of hereditary peers’ by-elections in each calendar year since 2012.
Year | Amount paid to Electoral Reform Services |
2012 | Nil |
2013 | £3,550 |
2014 | £3,245 |
2015 | £5,700 |
2016 | £1,200 |
2017 (to date) | Nil |
Amounts are exclusive of VAT.
The House authorities are currently reviewing the procurement arrangements under which services for hereditary peers’ by-elections are provided.
Asked by: Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Labour - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether he will publish the terms of the agreement with Electoral Reform Services to administer the hereditary peers’ by-elections, including the fees paid and the length of the contract.
Answered by Lord McFall of Alcluith
The House has engaged Electoral Reform Services (ERS) to assist with each hereditary peers’ by-election since they were first held in 2003. When the need for a by-election arises ERS are engaged to administer and supervise the by-election and to provide assurance that it conforms to good electoral practice. This arrangement has applied each time a by-election is held. A fee is paid for ERS’ services for each by-election; there is no standing contract under which fees are paid to ERS.
The table below shows the amounts paid to Electoral Reform Services in respect of hereditary peers’ by-elections in each calendar year since 2012.
Year | Amount paid to Electoral Reform Services |
2012 | Nil |
2013 | £3,550 |
2014 | £3,245 |
2015 | £5,700 |
2016 | £1,200 |
2017 (to date) | Nil |
Amounts are exclusive of VAT.
The House authorities are currently reviewing the procurement arrangements under which services for hereditary peers’ by-elections are provided.
Asked by: Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to repeal section 1 of the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act 1920 insofar as that provision applies to voluntary work by persons under the age of 16 engaged in heritage railways, canal charities and similar undertakings.
Answered by Lord Nash
The Government has no current plans to repeal this legislation, but we are keeping the legislation under review. We appreciate the valuable work done by the organisations mentioned, and understand that young people may benefit from volunteering, but it is important that young people in employment, whether volunteers or paid employees, work safely in suitable environments.
Asked by: Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Premier League and the Football League about meeting disabled access guidelines at football grounds.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
Both the Minister for Disabled People and the Minister for Sport have had discussions and corresponded with both the Premier League and the Football League about improving accessibility at football stadia. The Minister for Sport is meeting the Premier League soon to discuss a range of topics including accessibility and progress with their work plan.
Asked by: Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have yet received a report from the Premier League on progress towards the implementation of accessible stadia guidelines by August 2017.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
Ministers expect to receive the report from the Premier League on progress by their clubs to implement the Accessible Stadia guidelines shortly. Ministers meet the football authorities regularly to discuss a variety of matters, including accessibility.
Asked by: Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the governing bodies of sports other than football about meeting disabled access guidelines at sports stadia.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
Ministerial meetings have taken place with the Rugby Football Union and at official level with the Rugby Union Premier League on accessibility. Ministers are aware that there is both good and bad practice on stadium accessibility across a range of other sports. Ministers expect all sports, and all clubs, whose grounds do not make the reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled spectators as set out in the Equality Act 2010 to take action to fulfil this legal obligation.
Asked by: Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for revising the terms of reference for the Sports Grounds Safety Authority to ensure that they encompass disabled access requirements at licensed sports stadia.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
As set out in our Sports Strategy, we will enable the Sports Grounds Safety Authority to take on a more formal role in helping sports grounds reach the required standards for accessibility. We are currently in discussions with the SGSA on what role they will play in delivering accessible sports grounds.